Rather than financing Ukraine directly, the European Union should put money into its Ukraine strategy which may include financial or other aid to Ukraine, Janos Boka, Hungary’s European affairs minister, told daily Corriere della Sera during a visit to Italy on Tuesday.
Quoting from his interview, Boka said on Facebook that the Hungarian government had proposed strategic negotiations concerning the EU’s Ukrainian policy because “the earlier strategy, based on the assumption that Ukraine would win on the battleground and that would bring about a political change in Russia, has not worked and we have to adapt to that.”
The Hungarian government, he said, proposed “a more conservative planning approach” than the European Commission’s proposal of granting Ukraine financing for four years ahead. Shorter periods, with a review at the end of each, would be necessary, he said. Hungary has also proposed that EU members and international financiers should volunteer to set up a special fund, he added.
Meanwhile, Boka said it was in Hungary’s strategic interest “to have a stable entity between Hungary and Russia, an entity which is as committed as possible to European structures.”
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine could only be resolved politically, “there being no military solution”, Boka said, and he underlined Hungary’s call for an immediate ceasefire and talks between the parties.
Boka said there was no connection between the cause of European aid to Ukraine and issues around frozen EU funds. “We fully comply with the rules enabling us to receive the European funds due to Hungary,” he said.
Concerning the Hungarian prime minister, Boka said Viktor Orbán was “one of the most important conservative points of reference in Europe, irrespective of which party group his Fidesz party joins.”
Hungary presses for annual reviews of Ukraine Facility
Hungary backs annual reviews of the Ukraine Facility, the European Union’s proposed instrument to provide financial support to Ukraine, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said after a meeting of his EU peers in Brussels on Tuesday.
Hungary takes the position that the instrument, which would deliver EUR 50bn in financing to Ukraine over four years, should be assessed on an annual basis, Mr Varga said. In that framework, the European Commission would review the need for resources and their use and take a decision on the following year’s disbursement in that context, he added.
“We ended the meeting with the hope that when a final decision on the instrument is taken at an EU summit on February 1, Hungary’s proposals will also be weighed. Efforts must be made, as till now, to work on a solution that is acceptable for all member states,” Mr Varga said. Mr Varga noted that the EC had put Hungary’s 2024 GDP growth at 2.4pc in its autumn forecast released in November, under the government’s latest forecast for 3.6pc growth.
Fidesz MEP slams EU ‘double standards’ on Poland
Balázs Hidvéghi, an MEP of ruling Fidesz, on Tuesday slammed Brussels for applying “double standards” and remaining silent in the face of “blatant violations of the rule of law in Poland”.
Hidvéghi insisted the recently elected Polish government headed by former European Council President Donald Tusk had launched a political revenge campaign against its opponents. “It’s trampling down on the principle of the rule of law of democracy. It’s attacking independent organisations like the media or the courts and there is not even a question raised in this house about that,” Hidvéghi said in a video of his speech in the EP posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
Donald Tusk’s government is not threatened with an Article 7 procedure, Hidvéghi said. “This is a textbook example of the double standards on the rule of law,” Hidveghi said, calling for respect for the rule of law. “When your friend breaks the rules, you need to raise your voice, just as much as when you think somebody else does it.”
Hidvéghi wrote in the post of the video: “The Tusk government has demolished the Polish rule of law in a matter of weeks. And yet, no procedures from Brussels. Just because it’s a pal of theirs doing it. In times of the earlier right-wing government, a baseless accusation was enough…”
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2 Comments
Orban has reached the end of the road with his obstruction of the EU and he has been told that Ukraine will be funded with or without his vote. Orban has private caved in to the EU. Right now they are working on a way for Orban to “save face” when Hungary is dealt with decisively on Feb 1st. There won’t be an annual review as demanded by Orban because the EU is not going to give him further opportunities to obstruct. Moreover, an annual review runs counter to the EU seven year budget which depends on stability and predictability. The fat little man is now getting his spanking.
https://www.politico.eu/article/european-union-ukraine-awar-hungary-viktor-orban-funding-u-turn/
The EU vote comes tomorrow on whether to strip Hungary of its’ voting rights in the European Council. Orban’s cave-in on Ukraine is probably related to his fear of provoking the EU to take away Hungary’s voting rights. They grabbed Orban by the balls.